Holstein and Company Mornings

Doritos Loco Taco “Inventor” Dies

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Andy Roberts

You may not know the name Todd Mills, but he was and forever will be a great American hero. The 41-year-old Arkansas resident passed away last week after a battle with brain cancer, but without him, Americans would have never known the deliciousness that is a taco cradled in a shell made of Doritos. But Mills’s contribution to society isn’t just a tasty late night snack — his story is also about never taking no for an answer.

… In 2009, Mills had a brainstorm: Tacos with shells made out of Doritos. Even though he was just an average citizen, he pitched the idea to Frito-Lay … and was told “Thanks, but no thanks.” Undeterred from Frito-Lay’s rejection, Mills started the “Taco Shells from Doritos Movement” Facebook page in 2009 to garner support for his idea. The goal was simple: get people talking about the tacos so much that Taco Bell or Frito-Lay couldn’t ignore it. Three years later it happened.

… In 2012, Todd Mills received a phone call from Taco Bell. The company was developing the prized creation — calling it the Doritos Locos Tacos — and wanted to fly Todd out to its test kitchen in California. He was among the first people to try the new product.